patSKAts – self titled album review!
So we’re a bit late to the game on this one, but it was released before we launched the site at the start of this year so we have our excuses and this is too good an album to not have a review up here somewhere!
Out since last September, this 12 track album is just stuffed full of top notch ska from the fine country of Switzerland.
The album kicks of with ‘Refalling’ which is one hell of a good start! An upbeat ska tune with some rock guitars that you cannot help but love.
‘Better Times’ keeps the tempo up, and is another great tune.
A cover of ‘You’re Wondering Now’ is up next. Originally released by ‘Andy & Joey’ in 1966 and popularised during the 2-Town era by The Specials, this version is closest to the latter and has some sweet harmonies.
‘Du Hast Den Fabfilm Vergessen’, roughly translated to English as ‘You forgot the colour film’ has a bit of everything – Ska, Rock and what sounds like some good old Oompah! At least, that’s how it sounds to the untrained British ear! I like it!
‘Follow Me’ kicks off at pace and seems to tell the story of the social media generation and the desperation to collect as many followers as possible (and the shallowness the accompanies it). It’s a great Ska tune and has made it onto my favourites list.
The pace slows somewhat with the next tune, ‘Love Flow’ and then picks up again with ‘I Can’t Get Enough’, both great tunes and still leaving me awaiting a weak track!
A Ska version of ‘Viva Las Vegas’ is not something I thought would hear, but here it is! Not damn bad either and followed by ‘Goodbye Marylin’, a punk rock offering that’s so tight you can see it’s panty line!
‘Loving Myself’ ends the album with a 2-finger salute to everyone that puts you down, slags you off and generally takes pleasure in trying to hurt you. A great way to end an album that has some absolute killer harmonies and one that makes it impossible to pick a weak track. It’s equally difficult to pick a favourite but if I was pushed, I’d probably go with ‘Follow Me’…
…no…’Refalling’
…wait, maybe ‘Love Flow’…
…a great album! Available on streaming sites now!
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